The 2022 National Driving Championship (NDC) is inching closer and the field of eight drivers who will compete for the chance to represent Canada is set. Each of the drivers were top performers in their regional event and will compete against the top drivers from across Canada. Trot Insider spoke with each of the contenders about a variety of topics leading up to the big event.
Gilles Barrieau finished the Atlantic Regional Driving Championship in first place with 64 points. He will join the other seven drivers in the National Driving Championship this upcoming November at Century Mile.
*All stats as of Oct. 3, 2022.
Barrieau has participated in the World Driving Championships before in 2007 when it was held in Australia and New Zealand, but he is still very excited about having the chance to compete for the opportunity to go to Europe for next year’s Worlds. Barrieau knows that he will face top-level drivers from across the country, but he feels there is another factor that needs to be accounted for.
“It all comes down to having luck," Barrieau told Trot Insider. "All the drivers there will be very good. It will come down to the horses and luck. You’re going to need a good position as well.”
Gilles Barrieau (centre) with Lee Drake (left) and Bruce Wood (right).
The other seven competitors he will face are as follows: Marc Campbell (Atlantic Canada), Doug McNair (Ontario), Louis-Philippe Roy (Ontario), Pascal Berube (Quebec / Eastern Ontario), Samuel Fillion (Quebec / Eastern Ontario), Mike Hennessy (Western Canada) and Rod Therres (Western Canada).
Barrieau usually races in Atlantic Canada and has spent some time at a few other venues, but he has never had the chance to race in Alberta yet. He also likes that some of the other drivers have limited experience on the full-mile track.
“I’ve never been to Century Mile. I’ve only been to Fraser Downs for the same situation," he said. "The driving strategy will be different being on the full mile. I’ve driven on the half-mile and five-eighths a fair bit. Not much experience on a full mile. I did go to Lexington one year many years ago. I think I was in my 20s then so it will be still a new experience.”
Cold weather racing isn’t a stranger to Barrieau, but the Prairie winter weather can potentially be drastically different for those who are not used to it. However, Canadians are well known for our ability to tough out the cold and the conditions that Barrieau and the other seven drivers will have to face are no different than what Canadians do on an average winter day. A late November day in Alberta can be sunny and 10°C or could be cloudy with snowfall and sub-zero temperatures. Barrieau is ready for whatever the terrain will be at Century Mile.
“Everyone I’ve talked to tells me to bring my winter gear," he said. "I guess it gets pretty cold there that time of year. I’ll be ready though. It can get cold here, so it won’t be too different.”
Barrieau will draw from his experience in Australia and New Zealand in 2007. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for him and he’s not too far from having lightning striking twice. Being able to witness firsthand how different harness racing is in different parts of the world is something Barrieau will never forget.
“Jeepers, that was some experience for me," said the 58-year-old horseman, who also trains a stable of his own. "It is something that I will never forget. It's among the top things I’ve done in my racing career. The racing is so different with the standstill starts and racing the wrong way. It was challenging but it was great.”
Barrieau has had consistent numbers over his career. Since 1996, he has only had one year where his UDRS was under .350. The best UDRS he has had was 0.496 in 2006, the year leading up to when he made it to the World Driving Championship. Barrieau has earned more than $10 million in purse winnings and he is closely approaching 5,000 career wins.
Barrieau can be seen driving at various venues across Atlantic Canada, but he usually races at Charlottetown Driving Park. He will continue preparing for the NDC as best as he can on the half-mile track and hopefully he can translate his success to the full-mile oval at Century Mile on Nov. 24.
(A Trot Insider exclusive by Trey Colbeck)